On Kids and Relatives
by Stri-scia
Summary: Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number ten, School Street, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. [Or, Dudley's daughter is definitely a Witch, and Dudley's cousin is there to help her. And maybe him too.][Or, how Dudley definitely changed and Harry discovers that.]


Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number ten, School Street, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr Dursley was a tall and muscular blonde man. He worked as a social assistant, always helped his 80-year-old neighbour, Helen, with the groceries every week. And to cross the road sometimes. And to fix that lightbulb that went off, no, not that one dear, I really don't need you to fix that one. Mrs Dursley was an elementary school teacher, always full of ideas to make the kids learn more and always with crayons in her pocket. They had two kids, Meadow, 10, and David, 9, both good in school and both well-mannered, always accepting any baked good that Helen would bring them as a thank for what their parents did.

A perfectly normal family, in a perfectly normal town, with a perfectly normal life.

They didn't really talk about the Potters.

Mr Dursley had thought better tell Mrs Dursley about the Potters before getting married, and that was the only time they really talked about it. Mrs Dursley dutifully wrote a Christmas card every year to the Potters, and then shrugged when they didn't get one back, and that was it. She didn't really have feelings about the Potters, but she didn't really want to talk about stuff that was painful for her husband.

So, perfectly normal.

At least till the morning of July 11, 2015, day of Meadow Dursley's eleventh birthday.

The letter was unassuming. A white envelope, elegant but not strange-looking, the address written in black ink with an elegant calligraphy, and at first glance one could think it was written by a normal fountain pen. Claudia hadn't thought much about it and had put it on the table with the other letters—mostly bills and her weekly crossword magazine. Dudley would probably have done the same if it wasn't Claudia's turn to think about the bills, making him free to deal with the kids.

"Oh cool, I got a letter," Meadow said. Or, well, she was actually munching away at her toast, so it sounded more like _oh fooh ah got a le'eh_.

"Why did you get a letter and I didn't? I want a letter too!" David was eating his cereals, and thought better to spit everything while he was talking, making Meadow retract in grossed out admiration.

"This ought to be your record Dave. Ew."

"It's not fair that you got a letter and I didn't. Dad, mum, can I have a letter too?"

"Darlings, please, don't talk with your mouth full," Said Dudley distractedly. "Wait, what letter?"

When Dudley raised his gaze from the pan with the eggs, David was looking at him pleading. "The letter Meadow got. It's not fair."

Claudia put her pen in her mouth and patted David's hair. "Dear, it's Mea's birthday. She's got presents. Remember at your birthday, you got a letter from Aunt Margaret with 20 pounds in it?"

"Yes, but it wasn't a proper letter arriving with the post, I want a proper letter arriving with the post."

"Well, maybe yours got lost and will arrive in a few days," said Claudia, then glanced at Dudley meaningfully. "I'm sure it will, right Dad?"

"Of course," said Dudley, and put eggs in his and Claudia's plates. The kids still wanted a sweet breakfast and they didn't want to force them. "I'm sure Mum is right. You know how the post works Dave, I'm sure in a few days everything will be all right."

David nodded and went back to eating, and Dudley took a deep breath. This wasn't the time to freak out; it could be just Helen not telling them she was giving a birthday present to Mea. "What does the address say, Darling? Please, swallow first," he added, as soon as he saw her opening her mouth and her chewed toast in it.

Meadow swallowed then opened her mouth big to make him look. He kissed her forehead. "Good girl," he said.

Meadow smiled. "It says: _Ms Meadow Petunia Dursley, Top bunk bed in the room to the left at the top of the stairs, 10, School Street, Mickleham, Surrey_."

Claudia chuckled. "So precise, I wonder why Aunt Margaret did that, what do you say, Dad?" She looked up at Dudley over the rim of her mug.

Dudley was freaking out.

"Claudia—," he started, then closed his mouth, not knowing how to continue.

"Can I open the letter, Dad?" asked Meadow.

"Can you—can you wait a bit before opening it? That way you can open it with the other presents?"

Meadow pouted a bit, but nodded all the same. Dudley blessed silently her character. "Claudia, we—I think we—," he said, then motioned to his studio.

Claudia opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. Then nodded, put her tea on the table. "Kids, can we trust you to finish your breakfast? Mum and Dad have to discuss something one moment."

When she closed the door of the studio behind her, Dudley collapsed on the chair. He was definitely freaking out.

Claudia stayed silent. She knew he needed a bit of time to calm his breathing, and she sat on her chair close to him, looked ruefully at the papers she still had to read for the summer, then looked at him with all her attention. "Ready when you are, Duds," she said.

Dudley took a deep trembling breath. "Okay so—about my cousin."

Claudia pursed her lips and nodded. Dudley had told her about his childhood, had told her about the fact that he was a spoiled bully, and his cousin was his victim. He'd told her vaguely that he had an existential crisis when he was fifteen, and that lead to years of therapy and his profound change. He'd told her that his cousin was now married but they didn't talk, not anymore. He'd told her they were a bit strange, but not bad people. She didn't ask any more questions, and just told him she was glad he was changed.

Claudia was a blessing in Dudley's life. Even if his parents didn't appreciate her that much.

"About your cousin," she repeated.

"Yeah, him—they—there's a bit of… things I haven't tell you about him and his wife."

Claudia smiled. "I imagined so. Is the letter from them? Are they in trouble? I'm not sure what to expect, Duds, and I'm starting to freak out."

Dudley shook his head. "Nothing of the sort," he said. "Everyone is all right and nobody is in trouble, it's just that—" It was difficult to speak. "The letter is—I know what the letter is, and I know it because my cousin got one at eleven too."

Claudia's eyebrows went up on her forehead. "So it's not Maggie," she said. "Uh."

"No, it's—it's," Dudley swallowed. "An acceptance letter. For a—boarding school."

"What the—fuck, Duds?" Claudia made a vague gesture with her hand. "Is this your parents' doing? I thought you were against boarding schools."

"I—not their doing for sure." Dudley was sure he was sweating. He could feel droplets on his forehead. "Nor mine. This school is—a bit different from the others."

Claudia had to go and lay in bed for a while after Dudley told her everything. At first she thought he was joking, but when she saw that he couldn't drop his dead serious expression, she started to feel dizzy. Meadow had been very understanding and promised not to open her presents till mum was feeling better. Dudley sent them in the garden to play, sure of Helen's watchful gaze, and then took his phone.

He had to call his cousin. Right fucking _now_.

The last time he saw Harry was in 1998, when he came to retrieve them because, he said, the danger had passed. His mum and his dad turned up their nose and didn't even acknowledge him, but Dudley smiled at him stiffly. He hadn't known how to behave with Harry, and he still didn't. his scrawny cousin, a hero of his world.

Not only his, now, since Meadow—

He composed the number with trembling hands. Harry had given it to him in 1998, telling him that he bought a _Muggle phone_ and that he wouldn't change the number, just in case Dudley needed something. Dudley put it in his drawer and hoped he wouldn't have to think about it anymore. And it had been like that for 17 years.

The phone rang for a while, and Dudley was almost on the point of giving up, when someone answered. Someone small, with a very high and loud voice.

" _HELLO? HELLO IS ANYONE HERE? HOW DOES THIS MUGGLE THING WORK?_ "

Dudley had to take the phone off his ears wincing. "H—hello?" he asked lowly. "Is this the Potters?"

" _YES THIS IS THE POTTERS THIS IS OUR HOUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS MUGGLE THING IS MAKING NOISE_."

"Can I talk to your dad?" Dudley took a deep breath, phone still away from his ears.

" _WHY DO YOU WANT—_ " the voice stopped, and Dudley could hear an adult voice telling the kid to stop screaming, then to give the phone. When Dudley put his phone against his ear again, the kid was screaming _MUM I WAS USING THE MUGGLE THING IT'S NOT RIGHT_ , but she was away from the microphone, luckily. The adult voice was much calmer and lower.

" _Hi, who's speaking?_ "

Dudley swallowed. "Is this Mrs Potter? I'm—I'm Dudley Dursley, Harry's cousin."

He heard a sharp intake on the other side, then a long pause. " _I hope you can excuse my daughter, Mr Dursley_ ," said Mrs Potter in the end. " _She's just seven, and she never used a phone_."

"No—no problems, really." Dudley said. "Is Harry there?"

" _He's coming in a minute,_ " said Mrs Potter. " _He's with the other kids. Lily went to call him._ "

"Sure," said Dudley awkwardly, then closed his mouth. On the other side, Mrs Potter was breathing heavily, and he was sure she could hear his breathing all the same.

He heard the phone being passed from hand to hand, then " _Dudley?_ "

And, oh. Harry's voice didn't really change; it was the same low-pitched calm voice that his cousin had since he started changing it. Dudley could have recognised him anywhere. "Hi," he said. "I'm sorry."

Harry didn't answer. " _Is everything all right?_ " he asked instead. " _Do you have any problem?_ "

"I—actually, yes." He said. "I—" he didn't know how to approach the topic. "Meadow got the letter," he said in the end. "Meadow, my daughter. She's eleven today. She got the letter."

There was a long pause on the other side of the phone, then Harry took a deep breath. " _Where do you live?_ " he asked. " _I'm coming._ "

The doorbell rang forty-five minutes later. He told Claudia about the call, and he told the kids that someone was coming to visit them. Claudia had come down, and she looked frayed and pale, her hair a mess around her head, and still in her fleece pyjamas. Meadow and David were sat at her sides on the couch, and were cuddling her very aggressively. Dudley just wanted a cigarette, but he'd promised the kids that he wouldn't smoke in front of them.

When he went to open the door, there was a family of five on the threshold. Harry smiled apologetically. "I thought that it would have been easier if the kids were around," he said.

Dudley nodded. "Smart thinking," he said. "It's better if my kids don't hear."

They went in the living room, and Dudley coughed a bit. "Kids, this is my cousin Harry with his family."

Harry smiled down at Meadow and David. "I'm Harry, and this is my wife Ginny. And those are James, Albus and Lily."

Meadow thrusted her hand forward, her expression solemn. "Nice to meet you, Dad's cousin. I'm Mea, and today it's my birthday; and this is Dave, and today is not his birthday. And that's Mum, she doesn't feel so well."

"Claudia," Claudia murmured.

Harry shook Meadow's hand. "You're very well-mannered," he said.

"Well, kids," said Dudley. "Helen just called me to tell me that she has biscuits, why don't you go and get them?"

He'd called Helen, asking her to watch over the kids, and she said it wasn't going to be a problem. He strongly hoped that she wasn't going to be angry about the three more kids.

"If you're the children of the cousin of my dad, then are you my cousins?" he heard David asking while they were scampering off. He smiled, despite himself.

"Do you want anything? Tea, coffee?"

Mrs Potter, Ginny, smiled. She was tall and athletic, taller than Harry, with short red hair. "Tea would be lovely," she said.

They sat down, and Dudley prepared the boiler with four cups of assam. He was tempted to put whiskey in his and Claudia's, but they had some of Mea's friends coming in the late afternoon for a proper tea party, it really wasn't the case.

They didn't really talk while they were waiting for the tea. The Potters were sitting on the loveseat, Ginny's hand on Harry's knee, and him and Claudia were sitting on the couch, probably looking as freaked out as Dudley's parents when Harry's letter arrived.

"Do you, um. Do you want milk in your tea?" he asked the Potters. Ginny smiled.

"Yeah, just a dash, thanks. No sugar."

He nodded, then brought tea, milk and sugar on the coffee table in the living room. There was a pause where everyone was putting sugar and/or milk and/or lemon in their tea, then it was the moment to talk. "So," he started, not really knowing where to go. "My wife and I are freaking out a bit. My wife more so."

Claudia sighed. "I mean, at least you already knew the—the magic part. I didn't."

"Yeah," muttered Dudley. His encounters with magic had been terrible, he didn't really like that he knew the magic part. "Well."

"Is it true?" Asked Claudia. "Everything. Is it true?"

"Well I'm not—really sure what Dudley told you, but I'm a Wizard, and I was educated in Hogwarts, a school for Witches and Wizards." Harry said that carefully, like speaking to a spooked animal.

Claudia nodded. "Duds told me a lot of stuff. The school, the war. I'm not—not sure how to take it."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, the, uh, the magical society is better nowadays. Calmer. It wasn't when I went to school but now it's calmer."

"Well I—are you sure it is?" Claudia was biting her lower lips so much that it was white. "Meadow is my baby and I'm—"

"Well," Harry licked his lip. "I mean, it's not devoid of dangers, but then again, in the M—here there are the same dangers. Criminals, rapists, Nigel Farage…"

Claudia snorted her tea out of her nose, then he started giggling uncontrollably. Harry looked proud of himself.

When she calmed down, she had a smirk firm in place. "Dare I say Margaret Thatcher's spirit too?"

"Theresa May," interjected Dudley. "That's another danger."

"Boris Johnson, too." Harry was smiling big. The tension was a bit gone, and everybody was smiling.

"This is the first time in forever that politics actually unite people," commented Ginny, and that made everybody chuckle.

"Well, we mostly needed that," said Claudia. "So, the letter," she started again. "What do we have to expect?"

Harry and Ginny were calm and ran them through every step of the way. They said that James was the same age as Meadow, and they could do everything together, and the fact that she had an actual relative who was already a wizard was going to be helpful for her. Claudia calmed down after a while, and she started asking more about their world, because she wanted to be part of her daughter's life.

Claudia was a blessing in Dudley's life.

Soon enough, she was showing Ginny and Harry all of the photos she took of Mea and Dave from when she got out of the hospital onwards. They were both smiling and _aah-_ ing at the right moments, and Dudley felt a bit like crying at times.

He excused himself and went to the kitchen. He wanted to make scones for Mea's party that afternoon, and it was better to start now if he wanted to prepare everything. He was making the initial crumble with butter and flour when Harry came behind him in the kitchen.

"Dudley," he said, simply.

Dudley froze, then focused more on his crumble. "Harry," he muttered.

"Are you making scones?" asked Harry, then, before Dudley could answer, he shook his head. "Nah. Sorry. Doesn't matter. Small talk. I hate it."

Dudley smiled despite himself, and looked at his cousin. He was still shorter, but he turned from a scrawny mess into a kind of muscular guy, with long hair in a bun and a beard that complimented his brown skin. His scar was still visible, white and big, but he didn't seem that preoccupied with it. "How have you been, Harry?" He asked. He felt awkward, like last time they saw each other, like he was trying to get the words out of a thick molasse-like paste, and they didn't come out well.

Harry shrugged. "I'm good," he said. "I've got a family, a stable job, friends, and the dude who wanted me dead is now dead himself. I'm really good, thanks. What about you?"

Dudley started whisking the eggs, pursed his lips. I went to therapy for years, he wanted to say, and now I'm a changed man. I'm sorry for everything I did to you, I wish I could change time. "Good," he said instead. "I'm a social assistant now."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Oh," he murmured. "That's… nice." He put his hand on Dudley's shoulder, hesitantly. "Saving kids from bad families?" he asked.

Dudley nodded decisively. "As much as I can," he said, and his voice was trembling. He kept his gaze on the dough.

"Mum, Dad, can Jamie and Al and Lily stay for my tea party? Pretty please? They're amazing, and Jamie is my age and Al is Dave's age and Lily said I could braid her hair and pretty please?" Meadow was talking a mile a minute, and batting her eyelashes at him and Claudia. At her sides, David, James, Albus and Lily were doing the same thing as fast as they could, resulting more in a scene where it looked that the five of them all got something in the eyes, but that was okay.

Dudley looked at Claudia, then at the Potters. "I'd say that if Harry and Ginny want to stay, then there is no problem, why not?"

"No problem at all, absolutely," said Ginny smiling big, and that prompted a chorus of screams of joy by the kids, who improvised a dance in the middle of the living room.

"Before you scamper off, you scoundrels," said Claudia. "Why don't we open your presents?"

That prompted another round of screams, and the kids started to jump towards the small pile of presents that was awaiting Meadow under the coffee table.

They were all sat around the coffee table, Harry and Ginny back on the loveseat, and Claudia smiled nervously. "How about I pass you the presents, baby?"

Meadow smiled excitedly.

She started opening her presents, and Dudley's parents sent a pair of expensive-looking shoes, plus twenty pounds for David. Claudia's parents sent a set to create her own kinetic sand, Aunt Margaret sent a little chemist kit. Helen got her a huge Lego box (even if on the card there was written she had to share with David), and Claudia and he got her a huge photographic book of the galaxy, that also introduced the first concepts. Mea loved astrophysics.

Meadow sat happily in the middle of the colourful paper and all her presents, amidst the cheering from the other kids. Dudley looked and the other three adults, and then nodded. Claudia took a deep breath.

"There's still the letter, love," she said.

"Oh that's true!" said Meadow, and took it off from Claudia's hands. Dudley saw James, Albus and Lily all opening their mouths, but at Ginny's curt gesture they all closed it, staying stunned in place.

Meadow got several pages off the envelope. "I thought it was money," she said, confused. "But Aunt Margaret already sent her present. What is it, Mummy?"

Claudia was wringing her hands. "Why don't you read it aloud to everyone, dear?"

"Sure thing!" Meadow adjusted her hair, then with a solemn tone, she started. " _Hog—Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall. Dear Ms Dursley, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at_ Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Neville Longbottom. Deputy Headmaster._ Um, what." She looked Dudley, then Claudia, then Dudley again, then Claudia, then Harry, then Ginny. "What does it mean."

The room was silent, the Potter kids still under the watchful gaze of their mother, and then Harry smiled encouragingly. "Why don't you read the rest of the letter? That way you know what you need?"

Meadow nodded, still confused. She went through a long list, blinking slowly. Dudley listened with a stunned expression in place. Dragon skin gloves? Where could you find dragon skin gloves? How can you hide dragons from non-magical people?

"So, Meadow," said Harry in the end. "You're a witch. Like me, and Ginny, and Jamie, and Albus, and Lily. Do you have any questions?"

Meadow looked again at Dudley, then Claudia, then the Potters. "I don't want an owl or a toad," she said in the end. "Can I have a cat?"

That seemed to unlock something in the other kids. James whooped loudly. "We're going to the same school, Mea!" he announced triumphantly. "We're going together! I got my letter yesterday!"

Albus was pouting. "I can't go there for another two years. It sucks."

Dudley looked at Claudia and exhaled. It had gone better than expected.

The tea party also went better than expected. With the help of the Potter kids they could convince Mea and Dave to keep everything a secret, so when Mea's friends arrived, they were all was hush hush about it. They ate scones with clotted cream and jam, and Dudley put a light dinner together with Claudia, for them and the Potters. It wasn't much, just a small chicken curry with rice, but Claudia's coconut milk curry sauce was her pride, and Dudley could make a mean basmati pilaf. It was something his parents would never have made, and Harry smiled big for all the meal, taking another serving.

They went away for last, after promising they would call and come back shortly, and that James and Meadow would go together to Diagon Alley to buy everything.

Meadow was radiant, and couldn't stop talking about what she and James would do once at Hogwarts, and since Harry did a brief magic demonstration (Dudley couldn't avoid flinching, but Claudia's hand on the small of his back had calmed him down) she was now thinking about her wand and all the magic she was going to do with it.

David, on his part, had turned a bit silent and groggy, and disappeared when it was time to go to bed. Dudley left Meadow with Claudia to go and look for him.

He found him in the studio, hiding under Claudia's desk, his lips trembling and big tears coming down his eyes. He didn't say anything, just took him in hid arms, and rocked him back and forth while he cried on his shoulder. "Let it all go, Dave," he murmured. "Take it all out."

Dave started sobbing in earnest, and only calmed down after ten minutes. He looked at Dudley with swollen eyes. "What now, Dad?" he asked. "Meadow is special and I'm just—I'm just _me_."

Dudley hugged him tightly. " _You_ are special too, magical or not."

"But I can't—but I can't do what Meadow will do. She's magical, I'm a _Muggle_."

Dudley sighed. "You know, I grew up with Harry. And I did experience that, that Harry was sent to Hogwarts and I remained, and I can't use magic at all. Does that make me less special?"

Dave looked indignant. "Of course not, you're the most specialest dad in the whole wide world," he said, solemnly.

"Well," Dudley replied. "You're the most specialest son in the whole wide world, and you'll get to experience a lot of stuff that Meadow won't."

"For example?" Dave didn't look convinced.

"For example smartphones, have you noticed that Harry doesn't have one? And a laptop where you can install video games. And—" Dudley smirked at that. "Proper pens. To write. And also electricity."

"Wait, they don't have electricity? That's stupid, how do they watch tv?" Dave wasn't allowed much tv, but he considered it a big part of his Sunday routine, the cartoons.

"They don't," said Dudley solemnly. "They stare at a wall all Sunday morning."

Dave gasped. "Oh no, that's terrible," he said. "How will Meadow do?"

"She'll pass Sunday morning staring at a wall," answered Dudley. "We must be understanding with her, those are the last cartoons she'll ever see."

"Poor Meadow," said David. "This is cruelty. A job for the best amazingest dad in the whole wide world."

Dudley smiled and kissed David on the forehead. "Sure thing," he said. "We must save all the magical people from boring Sunday mornings, right?"

David started jumping around the room, singing Batman's sound. That fit very well, thought Dudley.

Going to Diagon Alley was definitely an experience. They decided to go together, as a family, because neither of them wanted David not to go with meadow, and because it was a good occasion to make the kids meet with the three Potters. They took the car up to Dorking, then arrived in London Waterloo and since it was a sunny day, they walked up to Charing Cross Station, where the Potters were waiting for them.

There weren't just the Potters. Claudia and Dudley got to meet Bill and Fleur Weasley, who eyed him with suspicion, and had two teens with them, Victoire and Teddy.

The Diagon Alley entrance was from what seemed like an old and broken-down shop from the outside, but was actually a pub from the inside. The _Leaky Cauldron_. Well then. Dudley desperately wanted a drink, but it was eleven in the morning, and he wasn't that kind of person.

Harry and Ginny still stopped to make small talk with the owner, a certain Hannah, who had been apparently in the same year as Harry in school. She was friendly and didn't treat Dudley with suspicion, just offered him apple juice and told him she'd seen a lot of Muggle parents in his same situation, and it would soon pass because they would get used to it.

Harry got them in the back of the pub, and did something to the bricks with his wand, making them open and revealing finally Diagon Alley. It was… an experience. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon, and spellbooks on displays, and broomsticks, and posters with moving figures, just like gifs. Dudley and Claudia were stunned for a bit, exchanging their pounds for Galleons, and Sickles, and Knuts. It was so weird, and he was grateful there were other adults with them, because there were too many people, and he didn't know if he was able to properly watch over his kids.

They first went to a shop with a sign that said _Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._ to get Meadow and James a wand. The seller blabbed a lot of wood and core and rigidity and length, and Dudley couldn't really understand anything of it. Meadow got a willow wand with a dragon heartstrings core. It was a thing that was 30cm long, and Claudia told her not to play with it near anyone's eyes, or someone could get hurt.

After that, they got her three sets of robes, a hat, the fucking dragon skin gloves, and a winter coat from an elegant-looking shop. Then they went to the book shop, and paid a small fortune for a set of new school books, and finally they got a cauldron, a set of crystal phials, a set of brass scales, and a telescope (with Meadow jumping up and down because she hadn't forgot astrophysics at all).

They got David a set of magical chess, because he was starting to pout and because Claudia loved playing chess, and that could be a nice bonding time.

They also got two cats, one for Meadow and one for David; they got both cats from the same litter, something that the seller called _half-Kneazle_ , and meadow got a soft Calico one that she called _Birba_ , and David got a Maltese cat that got lucky with the name _Negasonic Teenage Warhead_ (Dave was in his superhero period).

Harry reached him when they were going back to the Leaky Cauldron. It was early afternoon, and they decided to have a meal all together. Better yet, their kids had pleaded to have a meal all together. "How are you holding up?" he asked, quiet in the middle of the mess. Dudley shrugged.

"I don't know if it's stranger the whole set up or that people can't seem to stop looking at us and whispering among each other." Maybe the latter was more upsetting than strange, but still. "I don't like being at the centre of attention." Not anymore, at least. He didn't want to be the boss, he didn't want to be on the spot. He just wanted a quiet place on the side-lines, and he was content with that.

"It's because we're, well. We're war heroes." Harry said it with a hint of embarrassment, and lowered his gaze. "I hate it, honest to Merlin hate it."

"Understandably so."

Harry snorted. "Still, I must be used to that by now, and yet."

Dudley just nodded, then looked around them once more before getting out of Diagon Alley and into the Leaky Cauldron. "It's… really, really nice," he said in the end, and wasn't sure he was talking only about Diagon Alley at all. "I wish I got to know it sooner."

Harry looked at him for a long time, even when they were sat at the table and there was a mess of kids and chit-chat all around them. He just stared at him, expressionless, and Dudley felt the gaze burning on him even when he wasn't watching.

It was just at the end, when they were saying her goodbyes and Ginny had put a big bag of what she said was _Floo Powder_ into Claudia's hands, explaining it was their version of the telephone, that Harry spoke again to him. "I wish you got to know it sooner. The magical world," he specified, as if Dudley needed a reminder, as if he couldn't remember what they talked about.

Dudley went back home in a daze, and Claudia had to sweep in and take care of the kids, looking at him with concern once or twice.

If going to Diagon Alley had been an adventure of the nice kind, telling the news to Dudley's parents was an adventure of the non-nice kind.

Dudley wanted to go alone, because he didn't really want to subject Claudia to the kind of treatment he was sure he'd receive. Especially since they didn't like her already; but she didn't want to hear no reason, so they had asked Helen if she could watch over the kids, and then they drove to Little Whinging to bear the news.

Dudley's relationship with his parents had changed in the course of time. He knew they loved him desperately, and he felt a strong affection towards them, still. They also went against everything he believed, and everything he's studied, everything he was giving his life for.

They'd been abusive with Harry, and they'd traumatised him, and Dudley had helped traumatise him, and it was still a debt he was repaying. And they wanted him to work in his dad's firm, and when he'd refused they'd given all the blame to Claudia, who was still his fiancée at the time, because she put strange ideas into Dudley's mind, and she was someone not to be trusted.

Dudley still felt affection towards them, and they'd let them study whatever he wanted, and they'd paid for his therapist, and for that he was thankful. But he did not think they were good people.

"Dudders!" His mum, aged but still perfectly coiffed and proper, smiled big when he saw him. "… Claudia," she muttered, upon seeing her. Usually Dudley went to them without Claudia, just with the kids, but it was nice feeling her at his side this time.

"Hi mum," he said, his tone low. Claudia just made a gesture with her head, not saying a word. She did not believe in politeness with people like that.

His dad was sat on the couch, his huge moustaches whiter than ever, watching sport news on the television. Dudley acknowledged him with a nod, and sat down on the couch close to him.

His mum came shortly after, with four mugs of tea, milk, and sugar on a small tray. They sat for a while, listening to her chit-chatting about the neighbours and who died, who lived, and so on. Dudley understood Harry's hatred towards small talk, honestly.

"So, what brings you here?" She asked cheerily, but she must have known something was off, as the last time she saw Claudia was for the Christmas dinner, since they didn't really see each other beyond these occasions.

Dudley didn't answer, just produced the letter envelope from his pocket. He didn't bring the sheets inside, because Meadow wanted the first page framed on the wall of her bedroom and he didn't trust his parents not to destroy them, but he brought them the envelope, sure they would have recognised the way the address was written.

His dad took the envelope, gave it a brief glance, then paled. His mum had to pry it from his hands, and she had the same reaction. "Dudders, what—what does this mean?" she asked, her voice acute.

Dudley sighed. "Mea got it on the morning of her birthday."

"That was—that was almost a month ago," said his mother, voice small.

"You couldn't let her see this bullshit, couldn't you, son?" His dad was still pale, but he was getting his colour back. Dudley sighed again.

"We went to buy all her supplies a few days ago," he said.

His parents had two very different reactions. His dad started to become redder and redder by the second, and his mum went very quiet, hand over her mouth, in silent angst.

"What the _fuck_ were you even thinking, ruining your daughter like that? Making her go to that school for crazies and deranged?! Are you fucking losing your fucking _mind_?"

"Vernon, _language_ ," hissed his mum. "It's still your son, and that's your granddaughter."

"Do you think I would fucking _care_?! He's going to make her deranged like that other one. He's going to put _us_ in danger, and people will talk about us."

His mother got up, and even if she was just a twig she was towering over his dad in that moment. "You can 'not fucking care'," she said, making air quotes. "But for your information I _do_ care about my son and my granddaughter. And you shut up and listen to what Dudley has to say. This doesn't mean I'm happy," she said, towards Dudley. "But I—you're my son." She sat back down, the other three looking at her in a silent stupor. "How is Dave holding up?" She asked, and she started wringing her hands. "He doesn't hate Mea, right?"

Dudley shook his head. "He doesn't. I talked to him, and he doesn't. I hope they stay as close as they are right now, because I don't know how I'd do if they hated each other."

His mum nodded, her gaze lost in some memory she had with her sister. "You have to tell them they're not allowed to hate each other."

"Will do, Ma'." Dudley dared a smile.

"That really went better than expected," Murmured Claudia much later, already half-asleep under the covers. Dudley raised his gaze from the book he was reading and smiled.

"These days have been full of surprises, I still can't believe it."

Claudia nodded, her eyes closed. "I love you, Duds."

He kissed her briefly. "Love you too, Clouds."

The most difficult thing of it all was bringing Meadow to the train to Hogwarts. Claudia and he were against private schools and boarding schools, and great supporters of public schools, against the classism that plagued their country. Sending their kid to something that went against their principles, even if it was the only place where they could send her to make her better at magic, that was terrible. Adding to that, they couldn't see her till Christmas, and that made them hurt. That made Dudley feel like he couldn't have the joy of seeing his daughter grow up and learn, couldn't cuddle her when she got hurt, and couldn't spend time with her, play with her, and it was tearing him up from inside.

He did his best not to look as sombre as he felt, and went to King's Cross again with Claudia and Dave. There, between platform 9 and platform 10, the Potters were waiting for them.

Meadow was super excited, and when she saw James, they started to talk about everything they'd be doing once at school, and Dudley smiled despite himself. He was glad Meadow had already a friend there.

"Are you sure you have to walk right into the wall?" he asked Harry. He knew Harry wouldn't let him make a fool of himself in front of his kids, but still, walking towards a wall—it didn't seem _right_.

Harry just nodded, looking like he was trying to conceal a smile. "I'll come with, okay? Just close your eyes and it will be just a second."

Going across the barrier felt like nothing, like a gush of air on Dudley's face, and then he opened his eyes and he was under an iron archway with the writing _Platform 9 ¾_ , and there were people running around with a flourish of owls and other animals, small kids trying to put trunks on the train—red and still blowing smoke, like the pollution wasn't its concern—and yelling that _they were older now, they could do it alone_. Meadow started to smile and sniff around, almost jumping for the excitement.

Dudley was still hurt, but he knew that it was the best thing for his daughter.

"You behave, okay?" he told her, and she nodded solemnly.

"I'll make you and Mum proud of me," she said. Dudley was pretty sure that what came out of his mouth right after was a sob.

"Please write often," told her Claudia. "Also use that Floo Powder so we can talk in person. Please dear, do it for me."

Mea hugged her. "Pinkie promise, Mum."

Dave was the last one to say goodbye. He handed her one of those old Waterful ring toss games, his expression very serious. "So you won't have to stare at the wall while you eat on Sundays," he said, and Mea smiled big, hugging him for longer than she had hugged both Dudley and Claudia.

He watched her getting on the train, her trunk levitating after her thanks to Harry's wand, with Claudia hugging him and Dave on his shoulders. She kept waving at them till the train went out of the station and they couldn't see her anymore. He stayed in silence, stunned, till David interrupted.

"You're right, Dad," he said. "Why would they have a coal train when they go so slow?"

He and Claudia both laughed. "It's stupid," she agreed.

He felt someone pulling the legs of his pants, lowered his gaze, and Albus was standing there, looking at Dudley with pleading eyes. "Can Dave come play with me? Pretty please?"

Dudley looked at the Potters a couple of metres away, then looked at Claudia. "Do your parents agree? We wouldn't want to impose."

"No, pretty please? We are all sad today and we should definitely have supper together, pretty please?"

Seeing Harry nodding, Dudley nodded too. "Well then, you should be a magic lawyer when you grow up Al, you have some compelling arguments."

Ginny had cooked an amazing shepherd's pie for supper, and both David and Claudia basically immerged themselves in it. They ate with their head on the plate, not even looking at anything else. Ginny smiled proudly for all the time of the supper, then kissed her family goodbye. "I have to go get to training," she said. She'd told them she was a professional Quidditch player, and she needed to train almost every day.

When she was gone, Harry started cleaning the kitchen with flicks of his wand, under Claudia and Dudley's wishful gaze.

"I honestly can't wait till Mea is seventeen so I can get her to do the chores without breaking my back every time," said Claudia, and Dudley nodded in agreement. He hated doing the dishes more than anything else, and seeing them self-cleaning while Harry didn't have to do anything more than moving his wand made him really jealous.

"Just be advised, she'll break your china a lot at first," Harry commented lightly, making Claudia giggle.

"We don't really have china, we only have non-china friends, to be honest."

Their friends were more kebab-friends, who came at theirs to play Risk till the ungodly hours of the morning, drinking soda and eating the kind of snacks that came from a bag. Sometimes Dudley and Claudia cooked, too, but organising a fancy dinner wasn't really their idea of having fun and relaxing.

"Well, still. Replacing plates is not all that fun, I imagine," Harry said. "I'm pretty good at _Reparo_ spells since having the three pests, but I wasn't that great at seventeen."

"Well, trips at Ikea are indeed tedious, but that's why I send Duds because I have assignments to rate."

"I want to note, for the record, that Claudia is an elementary school teacher," Dudley interjected. "She's always telling me about essays and assignments, but I highly doubt it."

Harry laughed, and the careful movement of his wand went a bit south, breaking a couple of plates. "Damn it. See? _Quod erat demonstrandum_."

"Nice, chap, nice." Claudia patted Harry on the back. "I'm going to watch over Dave, you two. I think I heard them screaming about a broomstick and I don't want this to end sourly."

"It's a broomstick for kids, they can just get a metre from the ground," called Harry after her, and she made the _ok_ gesture with her hand. "She's really apprehensive, innit?" he asked Dudley.

Dudley shrugged. "Not really," he said. "I mean, she's apprehensive when it comes to a magical boarding school that made you come back in the summer telling about dragons, but she mostly enjoys spending time with our kids." He smiled fondly. He enjoyed that too, of course, and he was grateful they could do so many things as a family because she shared his feelings.

"You never get tired?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong. Yes, we do, and we have an amazing neighbour for that. But also sometimes it's just nice to spend time with them, especially because we both work full-time and we don't really have that much time, you know."

Harry nodded pensively. "Yeah. I'm not proud of this, but I tried to convince Ginny to leave her spot in the team when we had Lily, and I'm honestly really happy that she put me in my place."

Dudley snorted. "I mean, you could always leave your job, honestly."

"I would if I could, no joke," Harry said. "But I'm kind of—a famous person and that makes me a great asset for the ministry and so on and so forth."

"Aw lad, that sucks." Dudley put his hand on Harry's shoulder, like he would have done with one of his friends, and froze when he realised what he was doing. "Uh…" he said, and slowly lifted off his hand. Harry was also frozen in place.

They stayed like that for what felt like years, then Harry shrugged, all rigid and awkward. "It's okay," he said. Dudley doubted it was.

There wasn't physical touch between him and his cousin, unless you counted that handshake in '97, or unless Dudley was trying to bully him or scare him. And sure, Harry had destroyed the most powerful villain blah blah blah, but also Dudley could remember Harry when he was just a twiggy 7-year-old, not being allowed to eat and having to watch him eating a lot.

Harry could send him to the other side of the room with just a nod, but this didn't change the fact that he had been traumatised.

Dudley took a couple of steps back, giving Harry the time and space to breathe. He didn't really know what to do, because usually his job was to check on kids and to file paperwork, not to confront his past with his cousin. "You could—" he started, then swallowed. "You could send me on the other side of the room, just to get back at me."

Harry looked confused for a moment, then realisation dawned on him, and he started laughing, a bit of the tension gone. "That's a very kind offer," he said. "Thanks."

When they were packing their stuff to get back home (because it's a long ride, Dave, and Dad has to work tomorrow), Harry gave him a friendly pat on the back, which was fine, if a bit stiff.

"See you, big D," he said, with a wink.

 _Hogwarts, September 1_ _st_ _, 2015_

 _Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

 _Hi! This is the first evening here so I don't have that much to tell you. Well, first of all it's so weird that they only have parchment paper and FOUNTAIN PENS here? And when I complained about that to a Prefect, she told me that I was lucky because a few years ago the most common used tool was quills. That you dip in ink. Can you believe?_

 _Anyway, apart from the lack of electricity because the magic is too intense and nothing works, this place is so cool! The train trip was so nice, I spent it with James and two other kids, Herminia and Harry (there are a lot of Harry's here, James says it's because his dad is a hero—WOW!) and then we arrived at the school, which is an actual castle with a huge park and an actual lake and an actual forest! (It's also very cold because Scotland. I miss when we went at the beach all together in Brighton)_

 _So then, we were assigned to different houses, James and I. I am in Ravenclaw and James is in Gryffindor. Harry and Herminia both went in Slytherin so I'm pretty much alone in the dormitories, which is not fun, but the dormitories are divided in boys and girls so James and I wouldn't be together anyway. We also met the headmistress which is old and seems so rigid and I think Mum would argue all the time with her about teaching, ha!_

 _Also the paintings talk and there are ghosts and a poltergeist. And Birba keeps having rows with every other animal she sees. But I didn't forget to feed her today._

 _I love you lots lots and lots and I miss you even more._

 _Mea_

 _P.S. tell David that he's not allowed to touch my Black Widow action figure even if I'm not home. And tell him I love him too._

[…]

 _Mickleham, October 14_ _th_ _, 2015_

 _Baby dearest,_

 _Oh look we are writing this with an actual pen! Har har har. (Joking, we are also sending you an actual pen, see if you can make it work there, maybe)._

 _We are so, so happy to hear from you. We are glad that you and James are sticking together, and that everything is going well. Harry also said that he's very glad that you're good in Professor Longbottom's class, and that Professor Longbottom is an amazing Herbologist._

 _Mum is not that sure about you learning to fly on an actual broomstick and throw balls to other people, but if that's what makes you happy, yeah, why not. Especially since James will be learning that too._

 _Everything is going well here; Helen sends her best regards, and she told us to tell you that she planted that seeds that you two bought last summer, and that when you come back for Christmas she'll make you see them. David is learning to play magical chess with Mum, and Dad is learning to play magical chess too, and Mum remains the best player. Also, Negasonic Teenage Warhead loves to get outside and take walks on a leash, so we think that we got a dog masked as a cat._

 _We love you lots, lots and lots and we miss you even more._

 _Mum and Dad_

"What do you write on a Christmas card for someone who's got magical powers? _I wish you a very magical X-mas post scriptum does Santa exist question mark_? Would that be okay?" Claudia was in the middle of writing their Christmas cards while Dudley ironed their shirts, and was wearing a confused expression.

"I honestly have no idea. Would _Your friendship works like magic for me, Merry Christmas_ work?"

Claudia snorted and shook her head. "They must have heard that a million times."

"I'm not sure, we're the only non-magical people they hang out with, we could honestly spice up the game with a pun."

" _If it wasn't for you, my life would be devoid of its magical spark_. Done." Claudia looked really proud of herself. "I mean, I won't let Mea see this, but it's a nice joke.

She had a good penmanship and did nice personalised Christmas cards for everyone they were closer to (this also meant Dudley had to discourage her from writing _KISS MY FAT ASS_ to his parents every year). She finished the _k_ with a flourish, and then blew on the ink. Dudley put back the iron and peered over her shoulder. The card looked very trashy.

"I'm very proud of you, Clouds."

"Thank you, Duds," Claudia said, and smooched him.

The card they got back, on December 20th, was a moving card, just like the Paintings at Hogwarts. There were all the Potters waving in a loop towards the viewer, Lily laughing at the last moment. It was nice, it sent a feeling of _family_ that he never felt growing up, not even being very loved by his parents, not like his cousin.

The card arrived in the late evening, when they were about to go to bed, via an owl that accepted a raw piece of bacon from the fridge and a pet from David before flying away. Negasonic Teenage Warhead sniffed around, curious, and Claudia muttered about the possibility of buying an owl to make life easy for them and their communication with the magical people.

They'd try their hand with Floo, and it had been weird to see people's faces in the fireplace, but it had been even weirder to try and put their face _into_ the fireplace, and they'd decided that it really wasn't for them. Dave had been braver, and he regularly used it to chat with Al, without the threat of Claudia or him telling he was hogging the phone.

Two days later, they went to London again to get Mea, coming back from her first term. The Potters were there too, and Dave and Al stuck together like two magnets as soon as they got in the station. Dave had brought his Transformers action figures to show Al how they worked, and Lily followed suit, which gave Claudia and him tie to greet Harry and Ginny without any tiny voice demanding attention.

"So, how is it going?" Harry was looking at the sea of people waiting for the train, so Dudley didn't even bother shrugging.

"I'm very excited to see my daughter, I missed her very much."

"Honestly," said Harry. "I knew I would miss James, but I didn't know just how much I would miss him. If it wasn't for the fact that we need a boarding school to educate young wizards and witches, I would send them to the closest public school available."

"Ha, I thought the same things. Plus Claudia and I are really against boarding schools on principle."

Harry started watching him, a curious expression on his face. "So, no Smeltings for David?"

"Holy shit, no," said Dudley hurriedly, then he coughed a bit. "I mean, as I said, we are really against boarding schools.

Harry just smiled, then motioned towards Ginny and Claudia. "Better not lose them," he said.

Dudley nodded, and they walked towards them.

"What do you mean, Quidditch matches can last for days?" Claudia was saying. "Days on a broomstick?"

Ginny nodded. "I did one that lasted four days. We did pauses, but still—"

Claudia made a face. "Honestly that looks like really boring to watch, are you sure is it even a sport?"

"Bullshit, everybody knows that the only sport possible is footie," interjected Dudley. "Unless there's a Chelsea fan somewhere, in which case I would not like to speak to them."

Claudia laughed and elbowed him. "Listen. Your daughter wants to do tryouts next year, I want to know what this is."

"I'll send you tickets to the next match, it would be great if you could come."

"Deal." Claudia smiled. "I need you to explain stuff and rules to me, though."

Ginny laughed. "No problem."

The train slowly entered the station, and Dudley saw the doors opening, and after what seemed an eternity, his daughter appeared, dragging her trunks, James in tow. As soon as she saw them, she left the trunk in the middle of the road, and quite literally skipped between their arms. Claudia and Dudley both hugged her tightly for a few long moments, then she went off to greet Dave and 'Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny'.

Dudley raised an eyebrow at Claudia, who made a face, then a voice came from behind them. "Uncle Dudley, Aunt Claudia, hi!"

James was waving with a big smile. Dudley couldn't avoid a big smile himself.

"Hi James, did the school go well?"

"It was amazing! We are learning so many things!"

Harry made the trunks levitate towards them. "I'll send yours in your living room," he said, then made a pause, raised both his eyebrows. "Uncle," he added.

Dudley laughed. "Thanks, uncle," he answered.

The dinner at his parents' on Christmas Eve was awkward at best. They'd told Dave and Mea that Grandpa and Grandma didn't want to talk about Mea's school and Uncle Harry, and they didn't know what else to talk about, so they kept whispering to each other during all the dinner, between mouthfuls of food. His mum seemed almost to accept it, with a tight smile but smiling nonetheless. His dad was making a great effort not to explode right then and there, and Dudley knew he didn't explode because he probably got a stern talk before the dinner.

And because he knew that he wouldn't see them ever again if he exploded.

They didn't even open their present after dinner, like they usually did, and were home before midnight. His mum had taken the kids in the corner before they went away, and when Dudley asked Mea what happened, she said that _Grandma told us that we're not allowed to hate each other_.

He smiled and sent them to bed, knowing fully well they would stay up till the early hours to talk, but it was Christmas' eve, it was okay.

At least, Christmas lunch at Claudia's parents the day after was something he could look forward to.

Boxing day was also Potters day, apparently. It was easier for the Potters to come at theirs via fireplace with the Floo (which, now that Dudley thought about it, what the ever-loving _fuck_ ), but they agreed that they would bring something cooked, so it would be something nice and cosy.

Dudley could never have imagined himself programming something _nice and cosy_ with his cousin and his family, just like he could never have imagined to have three kids calling him _Uncle Dud_ (and then giggling at the pun because _of course_ ) and running around his legs.

They'd put a Disney movie on tv for the kids as soon as the Potters arrived, because they'd apparently never seen something like that, and because even if Claudia and he were quite strict with tv watching, it was a holiday and it was a way to keep them calm while the adults finished setting everything up.

They'd made roasted potato wedges with brie, a small ham centrepiece, and coleslaw. The Potters brought a quiche that apparently could change flavour according to which person ate it (assuring them it was made with potatoes and then enchanted and not to be worried about that), fried green tomatoes, and trifle for dessert. They could eat with that for several weeks, Claudia considered, but then again, they had five children between them, and kids could eat everything even after two big lunches in the last two days.

Worst came to worst, they'd have ham and coleslaw sandwiches for the days to come.

It was a noisy lunch, with almost three food fights between the kids that were interrupted by a curt wand movement from Harry, with the food stopping in the air and returning on the plates. Dudley tried the quiche, and discovered that it tasted like the lasagne that he tried in Italy on his honeymoon, including the consistence. It was a weird experience, and he definitely wanted one more slice. Ginny looked at him knowingly while he was cutting it.

"You're liking it, I take?"

Dudley smiled. "I'd ask for the recipe but I'm not sure I can replicate it."

After eating, the kids started asking noisily for another film, because the Potters really liked the first one and were amazed by the moving images on the screen, so Dudley put on _Frozen_ and prepared himself to hear _Let it go_ screamed all afternoon.

"I'm going to the kitchen to clean up a bit," he told everyone, and Claudia nodded.

"Do you mind if I take out the cognac?"

"Not really," said Dudley shrugging. "Have fun drinking that shit, I'm not going near that."

He closed the door behind him, turned on the radio, and started to clean the plates with the napkins they used, to make them easier to put in the dishwasher.

He was lost in his thoughts, Bryan Adams singing about his summer in the 1969, when the door opened and closed, then someone coughed.

Harry was standing behind him, looking awkward with a glass of cognac in hand. "I thought I could clean everything up in five minutes instead of letting you do it," he said.

Dudley shook his head. "Honestly, it's not a bother. Doing domestic labour relaxes me, so I really don't mind."

Harry had his wand already out. "Yeah but you have two kids and you already have to clean up after them. Not a bother for me either."

Dudley nodded and washed his hands, his throat tight at the thought of his cousin when he was younger and forced to do all the domestic labour. "Okay then."

He opened the French door and looked at the snow that was starting to fall on the garden. They'd covered the patch before, but he had his doubts on whether the cabbages could survive or not. He lit himself a cigarette, humming quietly the last notes of the song. He felt peaceful, like you could only feel after a good meal with people you love.

And it was strange, wasn't it, how he'd come to consider his cousin someone who was close to him, and all because of Mea. He had regrets about Harry, regrets that he would never even start to solve, but this mending of bridges was making him feel happy and like he had a family after all this time.

He wondered if Harry felt even remotely the same.

"Can I bum a cig?" Harry didn't really wait for his nod, just took one and lit it up, exhaling slowly. "See? The kitchen's all clean in less than five minutes."

Dudley smiled. The radio started playing _Glory Days_. "It's nice not to have to do it, I guess," he conceded.

"Yeah, well," Harry shook his head, biting his lips. "I mean, don't take me wrong, but it's weird to think you're the one who does domestic labour."

Dudley just shrugged. "I'm not really the only one, honestly. Claudia does a lot of stuff, it's just that I usually spend more time in the kitchen, she cleans the floors and all more often than me."

"Doesn't seem like a bougie arrangement."

"Do we honestly look like bougies?" Dudley was about to laugh.

Harry laughed too. "No, I think I'm more bougie than you and—that's honestly a surprise."

"Because of my parents, you mean?"

Harry just nodded.

"Well. I mean, I'm, I'm not that much in contact with them these days, as strange as it sounds." Dudley bit his lips. "We had a—we fell apart when I chose the university, and well. After that my set of values changed a lot. Not that it wasn't already changing," he added, and made a gesture towards Harry. "You know, I didn't—really live the war, but the experience of hiding did change me."

Harry didn't talk just keep nodding and smoking. Dudley felt the need to explain himself, explain the person he became, but he didn't think he had the right, not if he didn't receive the permission. So, he lit up another cigarette, and just stayed there, in silence, watching the snow falling.

"I'm not saying that what you did—what we lived—was right," said Harry in the end. "I'm not even sure I want to dwell on the past right now. But—" he paused, shook his head. "I'm glad for all this, you know? If only for the sake of the kids."

Dudley nodded. Maybe the bridges couldn't be properly mended at all, but he was glad all the same, and he wanted to keep doing it.

It was mid-January, Dave being at school and Mea being sent back to Hogwarts (Dudley could swear he only shed a couple of tears this time), and Claudia at work. He was supposed to be at work too, since they'd been called on a case for a kid that was coming at school with bruises, but he had a bad cold, and he was studying the files from home for the time being, with a hot bowl of chicken soup close to him.

The door rang just when he'd put the kettle on for tea, and it was too late for the mailperson, and he was genuinely surprised when he saw his mother, standing in the cold of their barely-cleaned porch, in a big coat.

"Well, let me in," she said impatiently. "I'm freezing."

That shook Dudley out of his daze, and he closed the door behind her, letting her take off her coat and shake off the snow to go in the kitchen when the kettle started to whistle. He made an earl grey with milk, no sugar, for her, and black tea with orange, cinnamon, and a bit of rum for himself, for his cold.

When he got back to the living room, she was sitting on the couch, all prim and proper, her back straight, her expression disapproving of the state the house was in.

Dudley still loved his mum, even after everything. "So," he said. "What happened?" He didn't believe in walking in circle around the questions.

His mum stirred the tea, seemingly lost in her thoughts. When she spoke, her voice was measured. "I was never the favourite, in the family," she said. "I wasn't the smartest, I wasn't the prettiest, I wasn't the most brilliant. My sister was. We'd been close, really close, up until she got that letter, and then I couldn't go with her and I hated her for it. I hated the situation, but I hated her because she was getting to do a lot of special things, and I started hating everything that had to do with what she did. I didn't want to have to do anything with her."

Dudley was sitting on the loveseat, sipping his tea. "Okay," he said. He didn't know what to add.

"And then she died and I—I was left to organise her funeral, and then a baby showed up at my doorsteps and I knew that he was going to be like her, like _them_ , and I—I didn't want you to feel like I felt." His mum raised her face, her eyes fierce. "I didn't want my son to feel like he wasn't special, or handsome, or smart. Never. And I'm not going to beg forgiveness for that."

"I'm not the one you have to say sorry to, mum." Dudley didn't want to make this difficult for her, but he didn't want to skirt along the issue. "You've always made sure I felt special, and I'm grateful for that, but not when it came at the expenses of another kid. Not when it came to abusing another kid."

At his words, his mum retreated, like she was burned. She pursed her lips. "I know," she said, her voice low. "I know."

Dudley got up from the loveseat and went to the couch. He opened his arms and gave her a side hugs, still sipping his tea. "You can try to write, maybe he'll understand," he said.

"Probably not." His mum let out a shaky sigh. "I'm really getting old, aren't I?"

Dudley kissed her hair. "That only means you're getting wiser."

"And really, why can't I write the damned essays on your pc, why do I have to write them on parchment? This is something I can't understand." Mea was in the complaining phase, just back from school. "If I write them on your pc, they're going to be longer anyway. Honestly."

Claudia chuckled, caressing her hair. "Well, this way you'll have less work to do, won't you honey?"

Mea made a face. "I'd prefer more work but typing. Can you pass me the sausages, dad?"

Dudley obliged. She recently passed from sweet to savoury breakfast, and he didn't get to see her do it, and he tried his very hardest not to think about it. "You don't really prefer more work, Mea, you're just prickly in the mornings."

Mea cut up her sausage with her eyes reduced to slits. "Maybe so," she said.

"I can't wait to start using a pc to do my homework," interjected Dave. "But also I can wait to have more homework. Can I just not study?"

"I think there's an age that you have to be to stop studying." Mea scratched her chin. "Sixteen? Was that it, ma'?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Besides, Dave, what do you want to do if you don't study?"

Dave put his hand on his chin. "I think I want to do the mattress tester. Or the videogame tester, that would be a great job."

Dudley laughed. "It's actually very boring, because you can't play how you wanted to, you have to, like, run against a wall fifty times to check if there is a bug."

"Ugh, dad, always destroying my glorious dreams."

Dudley looked at Claudia and tried very hard not to laugh.

They were already finished with breakfast, just chatting, when there was a knocking at the window. A brown owl was standing there, and Mea jumped on her feet. "Oh, this is a school owl! My grades!" She went to the window and opened it, reaching for the owl's leg, but the owl skirted her, and landed gracefully on the table in front of David.

Everybody froze.

After a few very long seconds, Dave took the letter with trembling hands, and didn't even flinch when the owl ate the piece of sausage that he left in the plate (because he'd wanted to try savoury, now that Mea was doing it) and flied away. "It's—" he started. He couldn't finish.

Then, Mea started laughing joyfully, and jumped in her brother's arm. "WE'RE GOING TO THE SAME SCHOOL, DAVE!" She screamed. Both Dudley and Claudia flinched for the volume, and then looked at each other.

Well, then, if that was how it had to be…

"Shall we call the Potters, kids?"

(Mea received her grades a couple days later. She went really good, all E with a couple of O's in Potions and Transfiguration. Claudia and he were really proud of how she was doing.)

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number ten, School Street, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr Dursley was a tall and muscular blonde man. He worked as a social assistant, always helped his 80-year-old neighbour, Helen, with the groceries every week. And to cross the road sometimes. And to fix that lightbulb that went off, no, not that one dear, I really don't need you to fix that one. Mrs Dursley was an elementary school teacher, always full of ideas to make the kids learn more and always with crayons in her pocket. They had two kids, Meadow, 13, and David, 11, very well-mannered but not really around, since they were both attending a special boarding school that, at least according to the latest neighbourhood's gossip, was being paid by Mr Dursley's parents as a peace offering.

They were also around another family, and that family was, indeed, strange. The Potters were relatives, they said, and they had kids and were chaotic and strange things happened around them. But nobody really cared, because Mr Potter was tall and dark and handsome and really kind with Helen, and Mrs Potter was very active and athletic and was always ready to play with the other kids at the park.

A perfect normal family, with perfectly normal (?) relatives, and a perfect normal life.


End file.
